1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to corrosion inhibitor compositions useful for retarding the corrosion of ferrous metals by corrosive acids especially for metals in an underground oil field location, and is particularly concerned with novel diacetylenic alcohols which are especially effective corrosion inhibitors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of acetylenic alcohols for inhibiting the corrosion of ferrous metals has been proposed in the past. Although compounds such as propargyl alcohol which contain one acetylenic linkage and one hydroxyl group have been found effective, studies have shown that certain acetylenic diols perform very poorly. These materials have the following structures: ##STR2## It has been postulated that one reason for this may be that the diols undergo an acid catalyzed cyclization to form a dihydrofuran as indicated by Formula III below or undergo water elimination to produce the conjugated ENE-YNE structure indicated by formula IV below. ##STR3##
It may also be that the ethynyl hydrogen group, -- C .tbd. C -- H, and a carbinol group attached directly to the acetylenic linkage, ##STR4## are important if the acetylenic compound is to be an effective acid corrosion inhibitor. Any compound employed for this purpose should not be sterically hindered.